Of lost monkeys and broken vehicles
- Thread starter Lascaris
- Start date
Part 94
Algiers, January 13th, 1942
The city had fallen to troops loyal to general Mast and hundreds of resistance fighters. Juin had been placed under house arrest with Mast trying to convince him to join the Allies. Neither the gendarmerie nor all army units in Algiers had joined Mast but with news of the fighting in Tunisia most had refrained from taking action either, waiting from a clear sign from Vichy or general Juin on what they should be doing, after all Juin's last orders were to reinforce De Lattre in Tunisia. In the meantime De la Vigerie had taken control of the radio station and was not waiting for Juin to make up his mind before claiming over the radio that Algeria was joining the Allies and calling on the rest of the Empire to join the fight...
Berlin, January 13th, 1942
The orders to set operation Attila in motion were given as soon as the claims that Algeria had joined the Allies had been heard over the radio. Adolf Hitler was not going to lose time waiting to receive confirmation of the exact situation in Algiers. After all whatever it was it was becoming clear that Vichy France was unreliable. Better to install direct control over it and seize control of the fleet at Toulon, Jean Bart and Dunkerque would be an excellent addition to the Italian fleet, at the risk of the fleet trying to escape than to see the fleet sailing away for certain.
Tunisia, January 13th, 1942
Advancing, or retreating, it depended on someone's point of view, Afrika Korps troops entered Mareth. The armistice commission had partly demolished the French fortifications in the area but the position was still highly defensible. Rommel ordered most of his forces to dig in while he took command of a tank column, and most of the remaining fuel and drove north. By the next day he would link with the Italian paratroopers in Gabes and continue further north towards Sfax and Kairouan.
Vichy, January 14th, 1942
Petain's guard waited for the old marshal's order to fight back. It had never come, while Petain had also refused the calls of contre-admiral Auphan to leave for North Africa. By the next day the Germans were linking with the Italians in the coast of the Mediterranean, Laval had been installed as the new prime minister in the place of Darlan and Darlan and Weygand were on their way to a prison in Germany, Darlan had tried to escape with Auphan to the fleet in Toulon. Auphan had made it there. Darlan had not, being arrested by the Germans before he could make good his escape.
Algiers, January 15th, 1942
Overnight the gendarmerie had finally moved and liberated general Juin. But by now Hitler had made Alphonse Juin's mind for himself. He declared that in view of the German violation of the armistice in Tunisia and mainland France, the French Empire was joining again the fight. For now saying that the empire was re-joining the fight was perhaps premature. But French Algeria certainly did...
Tripoli, Libya, January 17th, 1942
The last Italian defenders surrendered to the South African 1st and 2nd Infantry divisions. Further west O'Connor was trying to keep up with the retreating German and Italians but despite the best efforts of the Royal Navy supplies, particularly fuel, were becoming scarce. The 8th army had also lost over 19,000 men and 800 tanks while the Germans had moved Luftflotte 2 to Sicily. With RAF still struggling to catch up with the army's advance west the Germans had air superiority over Tunisia, Western Libya and the Central Mediterranean, further complicating the Allies lives. The chase of the retreating Rommel would have to wait for a while apparently...
Madrid, January 18th, 1942
The negotiations between Ochoa and Negrin had lasted no less than five weeks, neither side was particularly happy to work with the other after the blood spilt during the first civil war. But needs must and the former Loyalists could well recognize that Ochoa had been far more moderate than his opponents Mola and Yague. The Communists might had been under other circumstances a problem, both demanding not to be left out of any deal and refusing it in the first place, but the Soviets were fare more concerned about the Germans at the gates of Moscow and the Spanish party had followed Moscow's order to back any deal even if it was left out of government. That had finally removed the final stumbling block for the negotiations, Ochoa was willing to deal with his former Liberal comrades and the socialists. The Loyalists would get 4 out of 12 government ministries, both Negrin and Pietro would join the government, have their officers reinstated in the army and a general amnesty. Ochoa would remain head of the new government and commander in chief of the armed forces. A general election would be held a year after the end of the war. Deal or no deal former Loyalist rank and file would remain mostly reluctant to join up with their former enemies. But this was a problem that Mola and his fellows were already solving for Ochoa through their actions...
Thermopylae, January 18th, 1942
The Italian Christmas offensive came to an end. The Italians and Bulgarians had taken a bit over 6,000 casualties. The Allies, securely dug in in the high ground hardly a thousand. At least it had stopped yet more reinforcements to reach Smyrna, but it had done so too late. The Greek Army of Asia Minor, had barely managed to turn the tide, after the naval battle of Chios and marshal Cakmak had pulled back the attack. Thus had been a much more bloody affair with the Greeks suffering over 25,000 casualties...
Tunisia, January 21st, 1942
General De Lattre pulled back his forces to a defensive line in the hills to the west of Tunis. His men had inflicted 4,500 casualties to the Germans and Italians, practically wrecking the German paratroopers as a fighting unit, but had been too few to hold Tunisia in the face of superior enemy numbers and German air superiority. But reinforcements were by now reaching him from Algeria. The Germans were not going to be pushing much further west...
The city had fallen to troops loyal to general Mast and hundreds of resistance fighters. Juin had been placed under house arrest with Mast trying to convince him to join the Allies. Neither the gendarmerie nor all army units in Algiers had joined Mast but with news of the fighting in Tunisia most had refrained from taking action either, waiting from a clear sign from Vichy or general Juin on what they should be doing, after all Juin's last orders were to reinforce De Lattre in Tunisia. In the meantime De la Vigerie had taken control of the radio station and was not waiting for Juin to make up his mind before claiming over the radio that Algeria was joining the Allies and calling on the rest of the Empire to join the fight...
Berlin, January 13th, 1942
The orders to set operation Attila in motion were given as soon as the claims that Algeria had joined the Allies had been heard over the radio. Adolf Hitler was not going to lose time waiting to receive confirmation of the exact situation in Algiers. After all whatever it was it was becoming clear that Vichy France was unreliable. Better to install direct control over it and seize control of the fleet at Toulon, Jean Bart and Dunkerque would be an excellent addition to the Italian fleet, at the risk of the fleet trying to escape than to see the fleet sailing away for certain.
Tunisia, January 13th, 1942
Advancing, or retreating, it depended on someone's point of view, Afrika Korps troops entered Mareth. The armistice commission had partly demolished the French fortifications in the area but the position was still highly defensible. Rommel ordered most of his forces to dig in while he took command of a tank column, and most of the remaining fuel and drove north. By the next day he would link with the Italian paratroopers in Gabes and continue further north towards Sfax and Kairouan.
Vichy, January 14th, 1942
Petain's guard waited for the old marshal's order to fight back. It had never come, while Petain had also refused the calls of contre-admiral Auphan to leave for North Africa. By the next day the Germans were linking with the Italians in the coast of the Mediterranean, Laval had been installed as the new prime minister in the place of Darlan and Darlan and Weygand were on their way to a prison in Germany, Darlan had tried to escape with Auphan to the fleet in Toulon. Auphan had made it there. Darlan had not, being arrested by the Germans before he could make good his escape.
Algiers, January 15th, 1942
Overnight the gendarmerie had finally moved and liberated general Juin. But by now Hitler had made Alphonse Juin's mind for himself. He declared that in view of the German violation of the armistice in Tunisia and mainland France, the French Empire was joining again the fight. For now saying that the empire was re-joining the fight was perhaps premature. But French Algeria certainly did...
Tripoli, Libya, January 17th, 1942
The last Italian defenders surrendered to the South African 1st and 2nd Infantry divisions. Further west O'Connor was trying to keep up with the retreating German and Italians but despite the best efforts of the Royal Navy supplies, particularly fuel, were becoming scarce. The 8th army had also lost over 19,000 men and 800 tanks while the Germans had moved Luftflotte 2 to Sicily. With RAF still struggling to catch up with the army's advance west the Germans had air superiority over Tunisia, Western Libya and the Central Mediterranean, further complicating the Allies lives. The chase of the retreating Rommel would have to wait for a while apparently...
Madrid, January 18th, 1942
The negotiations between Ochoa and Negrin had lasted no less than five weeks, neither side was particularly happy to work with the other after the blood spilt during the first civil war. But needs must and the former Loyalists could well recognize that Ochoa had been far more moderate than his opponents Mola and Yague. The Communists might had been under other circumstances a problem, both demanding not to be left out of any deal and refusing it in the first place, but the Soviets were fare more concerned about the Germans at the gates of Moscow and the Spanish party had followed Moscow's order to back any deal even if it was left out of government. That had finally removed the final stumbling block for the negotiations, Ochoa was willing to deal with his former Liberal comrades and the socialists. The Loyalists would get 4 out of 12 government ministries, both Negrin and Pietro would join the government, have their officers reinstated in the army and a general amnesty. Ochoa would remain head of the new government and commander in chief of the armed forces. A general election would be held a year after the end of the war. Deal or no deal former Loyalist rank and file would remain mostly reluctant to join up with their former enemies. But this was a problem that Mola and his fellows were already solving for Ochoa through their actions...
Thermopylae, January 18th, 1942
The Italian Christmas offensive came to an end. The Italians and Bulgarians had taken a bit over 6,000 casualties. The Allies, securely dug in in the high ground hardly a thousand. At least it had stopped yet more reinforcements to reach Smyrna, but it had done so too late. The Greek Army of Asia Minor, had barely managed to turn the tide, after the naval battle of Chios and marshal Cakmak had pulled back the attack. Thus had been a much more bloody affair with the Greeks suffering over 25,000 casualties...
Tunisia, January 21st, 1942
General De Lattre pulled back his forces to a defensive line in the hills to the west of Tunis. His men had inflicted 4,500 casualties to the Germans and Italians, practically wrecking the German paratroopers as a fighting unit, but had been too few to hold Tunisia in the face of superior enemy numbers and German air superiority. But reinforcements were by now reaching him from Algeria. The Germans were not going to be pushing much further west...
The Axis's positions in North Africa are collapsing, though it seems the British are slowing down, outrunning their supply lines by too much though this should be alleviated somewhat by the fall of Tripoli. The Free French are getting a huge boost out of Algeria with Juin and Mast though De Gaulle has some serious rivals now. Did Auphan escape? If the French fleet at Toulon made it out too that'd be even better. The Italians and Bulgarians aren't in a position to afford thousands of losses for no gain. Smyrna held out! But 25,000 casualties is a high price, especially given the state of the Hellenic Army size (though I can't quite remember what the pre-war Greek Army size was). If De Lattre can hold until O'Conner reaches him the Axis will basically control Tunis and little else; advancing the end of the North Africa theater by over a year. Great work as always Las and I can't wait to see what comes next!
Greece holds out in Smyrna once again, which is good for morale, and Greece should be able to recoup the losses using allied troops as the Turkish navy is wrecked. I'd imagine post war a lot of media will be made about the heroic defense of Smyrna and Thermopylae, and that should be a confidence boost to the WAllies too, considering that there's good news coming from the north Africa front too.
The North African front seems to be going well for the WAllies, and that should allow more troops to be put into other offensives. That only would be advantageous to the Wallies. Maybe a thermoplyae offensive that aims to eventually get to Slovenia?
The North African front seems to be going well for the WAllies, and that should allow more troops to be put into other offensives. That only would be advantageous to the Wallies. Maybe a thermoplyae offensive that aims to eventually get to Slovenia?
Imagine if the Greeks were to get to the Piazza San Marco and go "ah, nice lions, we're taking them back to Constantinople"...
After all, it is where the Venitians stole them from.
Looting the Venetians is good espicially when the stuff originally is from the ERE.
Another great update!
It seems that there will be a Tunisian Campaign, at least for some time (weeks? months?)
As I see it, Britain is more thinly stretched compared to OTL, even though temporarily. There are 3 fronts in the Middle East (Tunisian, Syrian, Iraqi) and they have to support with supplies and perhaps RAF squadrons the Thermopylae and Smyrna fronts as well. Where am I getting at? With more commitments around, what would be the decision process when it comes to SE Asia? In particular, what has happened with the 18th Infantry Division? Has it been sent as in OTL to Singapore or the decision takers took a more conservative approach and sent it to Rangoon?
It seems that there will be a Tunisian Campaign, at least for some time (weeks? months?)
As I see it, Britain is more thinly stretched compared to OTL, even though temporarily. There are 3 fronts in the Middle East (Tunisian, Syrian, Iraqi) and they have to support with supplies and perhaps RAF squadrons the Thermopylae and Smyrna fronts as well. Where am I getting at? With more commitments around, what would be the decision process when it comes to SE Asia? In particular, what has happened with the 18th Infantry Division? Has it been sent as in OTL to Singapore or the decision takers took a more conservative approach and sent it to Rangoon?
Auphan is at Toulon. Making him the senior-most French officer there. The man was loyal to Petain but was also very much anti-German and the one pressing Petain to leave for Africa and fight in 1943. Whatever he does I short of doubt he will be letting any French ships fall to German hands...
Peak strength was 720,511 at the start of 1941. It is down to 388,652 at the start of 1942. Not all the difference has been casualties, some limited demobilization also took place, it was not making sense to be keeping men in uniform when you could not properly arm them...
It controls a sizeable chunk of Tunisia roughly from Mareth line in the south to about 100km to the west of Tunis in the west, including all major Tunisian ports. So on one hand, the situation territorial wise HAS been advanced by almost a year. On the down side the German/Italian position in Tunis is much better than it was at the Western Desert and allied forces are considerably weaker. On the third hand with Algeria back in the fight it makes more sense to ship new British divisions to Algiers than ship them round Africa to the 8th army. This in turn frees up more shipping for other tasks... including more supplies to the Near East.
Thanks a lot. O'Connor will have severe supply issues till Tripoli can be brought to operational status, and Tripoli will also be subject to serious German and Italian air attack. Even when it becomes operational its port capacity was 1500 tons a day. The British will be trying to expand it but for the immediate future it is going to be a serious limiting factor. And Malta has just been turned to the forward northern bastion of the British in Libya...
Have I mentioned
Stratis Myrivilis opus magnum "The Siege" about well the siege of Smyrna? Or for that matter Elia Kazan making it the middle part of his "Greek Trilogy" on screen?
Right at the moment an offensive in mainland Greece may be premature. Long term and if the Germans fail to knock mainland Greece out...
Now I'm pretty certain if Greek troops got into Venice, LARGE segments of the army and society would want to do just that both with the horses and with the lion of Piraeus. One notes that in the case of the Lion a request for its return HAD been made already by the Metaxas government, again in 1945 and there is an active campaign to do so currently. Not certain what the diplomatic reaction among other allies or for that matter Italian reaction would be though...
We are just taking our stuff back it's not looting.
No comment. The British are at the momment stretched more thinly than OTL though and are also facing a worse supply situation in Libya as well. They have advanced TTL about as much as in OTL Crusader... and so far stayed there instead of being pushed back several hundred km again... while starting a bit of distance from Alexandria.
A little bit more and a lot less at the moment...
With not enough guns around for the greek army is it possible that the next years class of conscripts used to replace the older reservists in the army? After all the next class should be bigger than the last one
It's just a gunpoint retrocession of stolen Greek cultural artifactsNow I'm pretty certain if Greek troops got into Venice, LARGE segments of the army and society would want to do just that both with the horses and with the lion of Piraeus. One notes that in the case of the Lion a request for its return HAD been made already by the Metaxas government, again in 1945 and there is an active campaign to do so currently. Not certain what the diplomatic reaction among other allies or for that matter Italian reaction would be though...
We are just taking our stuff back it's not looting.
I think at first the extra soldiers will be used to stabilise the other fronts like in SEA, but I think a thermoplyae and Symrna offensive will be in the making. The French divergence seems fun. Maybe one of the major differences between otl and ittl is that the WAllies will try to get to the French rebels?
The might of Greece will grace the world once again! But seriously a lot of looted stuff from Constantinople should be sent back to Greece. Hopefully ittl they can put it back in Constantinople.We are just taking our stuff back it's not looting.
Shame Napoleon melted down the Byzantine crowns Venice kept, though I do believe the body of Saint Nicholas is in Italy too, especially if the Greeks take Myra off Turkey...
Greek prospects should be reasonably good arms deliveries wise as long as they keep surviving, now that the United States are in the war. Granted they are not the only ones competing for US arms shipments.
Dunno what you mean gunpoint. We've just happened on some stolen property while liberating Italy from the Germans and their collaborators.It's just a gunpoint retrocession of stolen Greek cultural artifacts
Algeria has more or less declared for the Allies at this point and he Algerian ports are easily reachable to British or for that matter American ships...
That's short of unlikely....
'Unlikely' could be Greece's middle name in this timeline somewhat, to be honest.
And the body of Alexander the Great:
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Lascaris now with the Aegean more secure could it possible for greece to start moving civilians out of Smyrna? It would reduce the foodstuffs needed for the siege and could use the workforce in crete, Peloponnese and Central greece for agriculture and industry instead of doing nothing in smyrna